CONTACTS:
To message Archimandrite Kyril or to arrange a baptism or wedding please email the Parish Priest@bristol-orthodox-church.co.uk (Tel. 01179706302 or 07944 860 955).
For more see: CONTACTS
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Every Saturday: 5.30 p.m. Vespers Every Sunday: 10.30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
WEEKLY SERVICES & INFORMATION (Note: our Parish follows the “New” (Revised Julian) Calendar. For dates on the “Old” Julian Calendar, refer to an online calendar. The exception is the Feast of The Nativity (Christmas), for which we have services on both calendars.
NB: Between now and The Great Fast the lectionaries of the different Orthodox local churches do not coincide. This affects the Sunday Epistle (Apostle) and Gospel readings. Our parish follows the more traditional sequence as published online by the Orthodox Church of America (though it is, of course, not “theirs”!). This will not always match the current (and more recent) sequence used by, for instance, the Moscow Patriarchate or of the Great Church of Constantinople.
Monday, 11th November. Martlemas. Feast of St Martin the Merciful, Bishop of Tours (Gaul 397). Commemoration of all who have fallen or been killed in battle and war.
Thursday 14th. Feast of the Apostle Philip.
Friday 15th November. BEGINNING OF THE NATIVITY FAST (ADVENT, St Philip’s Fast) by the Revised Julian Calendar. Fast Day
Saturday 16th November. Fast: Fish, wine and oil. 5.30 p.m. Vespers
Sunday 17th November. 21st Sunday After Pentecost. Tone 4. St Gregory The Wonderworker (266-70) . St Gregory, Bishop of Tours (594). St Hilda , Abbess of Whitby (680). Fast: Fish, wine and oil. Readings: Galatians 2 16-20 Luke 12:16-21 Wednesday 20th November. Forefeast of The Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. Fast Day. 6.30 p.m. Vespers of the Feast
Thursday 21st November. Feast of The Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. Fast Day: Fish, wine and oil. 9.00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Saturday 23rd November. Fast: Fish, wine and oil. 5.30 p.m. Vespers
Sunday 24th November. 22nd Sunday After Pentecost. Tone 5. Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria (by the Russian and Slavic Calendar). Martyr Clement, Pope of Rome (101) (Calendar of the Great Church). Fast: Fish, wine and oil. Readings: Galatians 6 11-18 Luke 13:10-17
Monday 25th November. Leavetaking of the Feast of The Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria (Calendar of the Great Church). Martyr Clement, Pope of Rome (101) (Russian and Slavic Calendar). Fast Day: Fish, wine and oil.
THE CHRISTMAS FAST Custom varies as to the fasting advice for the Christmas (Advent) Fast. The strictest custom is a vegan fast on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays;, with Fish wine and oil allowed on other days. Commonly, however, fish is allowed on Mondays also. All fasting is first and above all a fast from sinning. Our dietary modification is to strengthen us in our efforts and focus to this end. The one without the other is fruitless. As we approach the Feast of the Incarnation of the Saviour, we renew our efforts to live with the love of Christ in our hearts in our dealings with all. Our fasting is a casting off of burdens, a lightening of the spirit.
FOOD BANK: As we approach the Christmas Fast, DON’T FORGET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS who do not have enough! Bring contributions please. Let’s try to fill the box twice before Christmas.
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PARISH NEWS **BUILDING NEWS**: The painting of the altar walls has been completed. The scaffolding is due to come down imminently (24th November). Once that is done a huge clean-up will ensue; and then we move back to our normal arrangement. Meanwhile, we now have further scaffolding at the back of the church in order to investigate and remedy woodworm activity and water ingress. Please keep giving generously! THANK YOU for your generous donations. Without this, we would not have a space to worship in. We are extremely blessed to have our own space that does not need to be shared with other users. If we look after it, the building will be sure to last a few more hundred years and serve our community for many generations to come.
GIFT AID |
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Some selected saints (AND FEASTS) of the coming days)..
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For those who wish to donate to our Parish online, our Facebook fundraiser can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/453504039824339/?fundraiser_source=external_url
Sermon for the Ninth Sunday of Luke
Archimandrite Kyril Jenner
Luke 12:16-21
Each year we read the Parable of the Rich Man at this time, early in the Fast of the Nativity. We fast for 40 days in preparation for the Great Feast of the Nativity of Christ. Liturgically there are texts on some days which look forward to the Feast. The frequency of these increases as we get nearer to the actual Feast. But this should be coupled with spiritual preparation for the Feast through prayer and fasting.
The Parable of the Rich Man helps us to see things in a correct perspective. We need to see what is truly of value. Material wealth, hoarded and kept for ourselves, is ultimately of no value to us. We should take heed of the old proverb that says “you can’t take it with you.” What we have in this world remains in this world even when we are no longer here to enjoy it.
This was not understood by the man in the parable. He wanted to conserve what he had, keeping it all for himself, and taking no thought for his own ultimate future. His penalty, as told in the parable, was an early death, so that he saw none of the benefits of his wealth.
Saint Theophan the Recluse comments on this. “When our Lord had spoken the parable about the man who became rich and planned to just eat, drink, and be merry, and for this was struck with death, so that he did nor remain alive for the supposed pleasures, our Lord concluded: ‘So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God.’ ” (Reflection for the Ninth Sunday of Luke)
This applies to everyone who is self-centred and greedy and only focussed on their own pleasure. We need to remember that our good things in this world come ultimately from God. We need to use them in his service and not just for ourselves. This was the mistake of the rich man.
Saint Theophylact explains this. “The rich man did not consider that he had received these things from God. If he had, he would have treated these things as would a steward of God. But he imagined that these things were the fruits of his own labours, which is why he usurped them for himself, calling them ‘my fruits and my goods.’ ‘I am the sole owner,’ he thinks, ‘and there is no one else entitled to a share. These things are not God’s but mine, and therefore I alone will enjoy them. I will not now take God in as a partner to enjoy my profit.’ ” (Explanation of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, Chapter 12)
The parable goes on to point out that God has other ideas. The rich man is a fool. He thinks that he can control the length of his life. Saint Theophylact points out: “a long life is not a crop that you can grow, and it is not another of your belongings. [The rich man says:] ‘Eat, drink, and be merry. Three cheers for the good things of my soul.’ But to eat and drink are the good things only of an irrational soul. Because this man has an irrational soul, it is fitting that he plans to reward himself with these things. But the good things of a rational soul are to understand, to reason, and to be glad in the law of God and in good thoughts.” (Explanation of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, Chapter 12)
Saint Theophan the Recluse also points out that “those who become rich and forget about God only think about the pleasures of the flesh. Let those who desire to avoid this bitter outcome not lay up [treasures] for themselves but be rich only toward God. Since riches come from God, then devote them to God when they flow, and holy riches will come of it.” (Reflection for the Ninth Sunday of Luke)
How do we do this? We do it by showing love for one another in response to God’s love for us. We share what God has given to us with those who are less fortunate. We make our lives centred on what God wants us to do, and not on our own selfish pleasures.
Saint Theophan the Recluse expands on this. “Divide all surplus with the needy: this will be the same as returning to God what was given by God. Those who give to a poor person give to God. Seemingly exhausting their riches, such persons become truly rich – rich through good deeds, rich for God. In pleasing God they become rich in God, and by attracting his goodwill, they become rich from God, who makes the one who is faithful over a few things to be ruler over many things. They become rich toward God, and not toward themselves, for they do not consider themselves to be masters of the house but only stewards and accountants, whose entire concern consists of satisfying all who come to them in need. But they fear spending anything on themselves, considering it to be an improper usage of property entrusted to them.” (Reflection for the Ninth Sunday of Luke)
Let us pray that both during this season of fasting and throughout our lives we may use what God has given to us in the service of others, and follow his way of sacrificial love day by day.
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Like all small communities we rely on the generosity of friends and well-wishers. If you would like to contribute to the continuation of our parish and the upkeep of our historic church building, you can make a donation here:
https://www.facebook.com/donate/679204386685133/?fundraiser_source=external_url
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